Step 3. BAKE at 350F degrees for 40 minutes or until center is almost set

Step 4. COOL - Refrigerate at least three hours, overnight is better.

PHILADELPHIA Brand Cream Cheese was introduced in 1880, named after Philadelphia, a city well known for dairy products, and also the American culinary center at the time. It is a famous brand name for a cream cheese and not an invention.

In 1872, cream cheese was invented by American dairymen, who were trying to recreate the French cheese, Neufchâtel. James L. Kraft invented pasteurized cheese in 1912, and that lead to the development of pasteurized Philadelphia cream cheese, the most popular cheese used for making cheesecake today.

PHILADELPHIA Brand Cream Cheese was made by Phenix Cheese Company, the company was bought by the Kraft Cheese Company in 1928. Kraft still produces PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese today. PHILADELPHIA Brand Cream Cheese is made worldwide and not just in Philadelphia.

With World War II threatening the aluminum supply, a much-needed commodity in preserving and wrapping Philadelphia cream cheese blocks in 1941, Kraft research scientist Oscar J. Link dedicated himself to extend the shelf life of cream cheese, working to find new materials and processes to preserve this popular food spread. By creating a device that effectively separated cream from milk, Link was able to decrease bacterial contamination by immediately packaging hot cream cheese curd, allowing the product to remain in its pasteurized state. This patented process proved so successful, Philadelphia brand's shelf life increased nearly 700 percent, from 18 days to more than 120 days. It also helped the company to speed production and significantly decrease manual labor.